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Monday, May 12, 2014

The Daegu Tourism Office offers both
tourists and residents of the city a chance to explore the city by taking part
in the Daegu Stamp Trail. It is very simple to get a stamp book from many of
the tourist information booths around the city. Stamp books cost only 1,000
won, and there are two versions. The English book has 10 locations to visit,
and the Korean book has 30. All of the locations in the English book are also
in the Korean book, but the Korean book has some additional places that might
be a bit more difficult for a tourist or foreigner to find. If you’re feeling
ambitious, you can buy both books! The Stamp Trail book is divided into
sections, grouping together the locations that are close to one another. The
English book has only three sections: Palgongsan (Mt. Palgong) area, downtown
area, and Suseong/Gachang area. The Korean book has an additional
Nakdong/Biseulsan (Mt. Biseul) section. The books give some information about
the locations as well as maps and public transportation information, which is
helpful. There is even a fold-out map in the back of the books with many of the
stamp locations marked.

As a side note, Daegu City Tours offer bus
tours to many of the locations in the books for only 5,000 won per tour for an
adult, making it even easier to complete the book. Sometimes the 5,000 won is
even cheaper than getting on and off public transportation. If you get all the
stamps in either book before October 31, 2014, you can get a Daegu
souvenir—although the book is not specific about what the souvenir is exactly.
The stamp trail allows you to go to places and see things around the city that
you may not otherwise have visited.

You can complete the entire Palgongsan area
section in the English stamp book in one day. Those locations are Dongwhasa
Temple, the Bangjja Yugi (Brass) Museum, and the Bullo-dong Tomb Park. They are
all on the Express Bus 1 line, so they were fairly easy to get to. You can
catch that bus under the underpass by Dongdaegu Station.

The Dongwhasa Temple bus stop is simply
called “Donghwasa,” and it is at the end of the line. The bus will stop at the
base of Palgongsan, so follow the signs and walk up the mountain for about 10
minutes to get to the actual temple. First, you’ll come across a main gate
where you pay a small entrance fee, so bring a few thousand won when you go.
Continue walking over the bridge, and you’ll see a tourist information booth
directly in front of you. That’s where you get your stamp. If there isn’t a
person in that booth, go right towards the main part of the temple, and there
is another information booth where there should be someone to give you a stamp.
The temple is very pretty with lots of hanging lanterns, but the best part is
down the long, dragon staircase. There’s a serene, wooded area with a stream
running through it. If you walk to the right and up a hill, you get to another
main temple building and the massive standing Buddha that Dongwhasa Temple is
famous for. It is in an awe-inspiring open space with many other beautiful
stone carvings and the mountains behind it.

*The Map of Donghwasa

After taking a moment to relax and enjoy
the view, head back down the mountain to get on the same bus back toward
Dongdaegu station. The first stop on the way back is the Bangjja Yugi (brass)
museum. The bus stop is named for the museum, so it is easy to get to. When you
get off the bus heading toward Dongdaegu, cross the street and take your first
left. Walk down that street for about 5 minutes, and the museum will be on your
left. The front desk at the museum is where you get your stamp.

This museum may not sound like the most
entertaining place, but it is worth a visit, especially if you want to learn
something interesting about Korean history. Brass was once a very important
item in trade and export for Korea, so at the museum you can learn all about
how the brass industry has changed throughout the centuries. The process of
manufacturing brass is actually highly skilled, and it is only in recent
centuries that the black, oxidized layer of the brass was shaved off to give it
the shine we know today. Watch the short film at the before checking out the
exhibits. It gives plenty of valuable, historical information. There are rooms
in the museum dedicated to beautiful carved brass utensils while others are for
brass instruments. In one area, you can actually listen to the different sounds
the brass instruments make. There is a special exhibit at the museum featuring
colorized photos of Seomun Market from many years ago so that you can see
exactly how much Korea has changed in such a short period of time. The museum
also has a small gift shop where you can buy brass products. Most of the items
are fairly expensive, but they do make good souvenirs. You can get a set of
chopsticks and spoon or a duck-shaped rest for your chopsticks for around
30,000 won.

*The Map of Bangjja Yugi(Brass) Museum

After finishing up at the museum, get back
on the same bus headed toward Dongdaegu Station. This time get off at the stop
called, Bullo Catholic Church for the Bullo-dong Tomb Park. Cross the street
and walk to the left behind the rows of shops and houses on the main street
then turn right and keep walking straight for a few minutes. There’s an
information booth at the entrance to the park where you get your stamp. They
may look like small hills, but, as the name states, they are really tombs.
Important people in Korea were once buried under mounds. A person is buried in
a casket with some important possessions. Then a structure is built over them
with wood, stones, and dirt to form a man-made mound. Grass grows, or is
placed, over the mounds. The Bullo-dong Tomb Park has relatively small but
numerous tomb mounds. They dot the landscape beautifully in the area. You can
also climb on top of them to see a spectacular view of Daegu.

*The Map of Bullo-dong Tomb Park

It is definitely possible to visit all
three places in one afternoon, but you may choose to take it at a more
leisurely pace. Additionally, the Daegu City Tour offers a Palgongsan Course
that stops at each of the mentioned locations, so that may be an easier option.
The Daegu Stamp Trail is a fantastic way to see Daegu. Stay tuned for further
posts about visiting other stamp trail locations.